Thursday, August 13, 2009

Manoj Kumar on Independence Day



Printed from Times of India
I saw Nehru hoist tricolour: Manoj Kumar

RITU VERMA, TNN 13 August 2009, 12:00am IST

'Bharat' Kumar's cult movies like Purab Aur Paschim, Kranti, Shaheed, Upkaar are still considered a yardstick for patriotic cinema in Bollywood


Manoj KumarFondly called Bharat Kumar, veteran actor Manoj Kumar is one of the first faces that flashes in our minds when we think of patriotic films. His cult movies like Purab Aur Paschim, Kranti, Shaheed, Upkaar are still considered the yardstick of patriotic cinema in Bollywood.
My countrymen are so gracious, they liked my work, my character in Upkaar and I was made Bharat Kumar from Manoj. I rejoice in all the love and respect I have received from my audience. To maintain the dignity of this name I have also worked very hard and sacrificed a lot, at various steps of my life, says Manoj Kumar. When asked to pick his favorite character from all his onscreen patriotic avataars, he replied,
"The feel of patriotism might be the common factor in my onscreen avatars, yet they were all very different from each other. All the characters had different circumstances and faced different challenges, just like two different individuals. I can't really compare them, all my characters are very close to my heart."
The legendary actor is disappointed that patriotic films like Rang De Basanti and Chak De India are rare to come by. He says, I think, by and large, society is moving away from patriotism. There is an old saying, Jab raja bana vyapari, toh praja bani bhikhari. It applies pretty well in today's scenario.
Today's youth has no icons, no role models to follow. They really need leaders who can inspire them. Unfortunately, these days politicians are only in the news for scams and arguments in Parliament. He adds, In the recent past we witnessed a movie named Mangal Pandey. The subject of the movie was slightly shallow and hence it failed at the box office. Still, through the movie, people got to know that someone like Mangal Pandey also existed. Rang De Basanti struck bull's eye and became really popular. I think the first advantage of the movie was its title, which came from the famous song, Mera Rang De Basanti Chola. Though the first half of the movie was a little confused, yet it did very well and youngsters praised it. There are very few filmmakers who take up patriotic subjects, but I really think if given a good treatment, people will surely appreciate such cinema in today's times too. These days everyone is eager to make films that match international standards. I believe if we can really concentrate on national cinema, it would automatically be at par with international films.
When we asked the yesteryear actor about whom he thinks can portray patriotic roles with ease from today's Bollywood biggies, it was only one name that came to his mind. Aamir Khan is definitely the best suited actor for such roles. I really liked him in Taare Zameen Par and Rang De Basanti. In our times be it Raj Kapoor, Dharmendra, Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand or Manoj Kumar, each of us had our own area of expertise and catered to different genres of cinema. But these days all actors seem to be doing similar roles.
Today, they have no individuality. Therefore, I'll suggest they become a part of respectable and meaningful cinema.
The veteran actor shared his memories of the first Independence Day of India. “Though every Independence Day is memorable, I can't forget the day when Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, raised the flag of independent India in Delhi. I remember going to the Red Fort with my father. I was a fortunate young boy who could witness that historic moment, which is still framed in my mind.
The cult hero concludes with a powerful Independence Day message, I wish this Independence Day brings joy and prosperity to our country.
Only saying Jai Hind thrice with the Prime Minister does not make a country of patriots. In many ways, we are moving forward, but there remains so much to be done. I wish everyone does their own bit. I pray to God to be kind to our country and bless us with good monsoon and good crops.

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